Chapter 125: Captive
"You care for each other deeply, Selena."
In the end, Duane’s longsword didn’t fall. "For your sake, I can spare his life."
Brison tried to stand, but the wounds on his chest, abdomen, and shoulder kept him from moving.
"I’d advise you not to move!"
Duane sheathed his longsword and stood beside Selena. "If I feel even the slightest threat, I will kill her first, and then come for you."
Terror filled Brison’s eyes, especially when he saw Duane’s blade just centimeters from Selena’s pale neck.
"No, please don’t hurt her!"
Brison threw the longsword in his hand to one side. "I surrender!"
The corner of Duane’s mouth twitched. ’Dealing with a devoted couple like this is simple. All you have to do is control one, and the other won’t dare make a reckless move.’
"You’d best not move either."
He looked down at the female mage slumped on the ground.
"I know you’re low on Magic Power and Spiritual Power, but even if you could cast one more Arcane Missile, it wouldn’t change the situation."
Selena said nothing.
She could, in fact, cast one more Level 3 Magic spell if she was willing to ignore the spiritual backlash and her grievous injuries.
But, just as Duane had said, it was useless.
Their night raid had failed.
By now, most of the fighting was nearing its end.
For this operation, Garrot had brought twenty elite soldiers: eight Basic-level Warriors and five Middle Level Warriors.
The first volley of arrows and stones had already taken out seven or eight of them. In the battle that followed, the rest were either killed or had kneeled in surrender.
As for their warriors...
Although Duane only had three Middle Level Warriors under his command, he had a full thirteen Basic-level Warriors!
Add to that three hundred militia and over eighty regular guards—a volley of stones from each of them would be like a deadly storm.
BOOM!
Brada was sent flying by a single blow from Simone, crashing into the main hall and smashing a swathe of tables and chairs.
Raymond had also taken down Hall and was now helping Gaius deal with Cameron.
With Raymond’s help, Cameron was instantly put on the back foot. Ganged up on by the two of them, he was run through the heart by Raymond’s sword and died on the spot.
His death drew loud cheers from Jack and the others.
"The three of you, go help Kaelon take down Garrot. The rest of you captains, take your men and secure all the surrendered and defeated!"
Duane commanded, then looked toward Kaelon, who was already injured.
"Surrender, Garrot!"
He shouted, "I swear on the honor of the Brian Clan, if you surrender, I will absolutely spare your life."
With the situation under control, Duane saw no need to slaughter them all.
It wasn’t that he was merciful, but rather that such a massacre wouldn’t solve the problem.
Garrot was the leader of the Gale Corps and a Knight of Viscount Freddy.
Selena was Baron Torre’s wife, and Brison was the Baron’s Knight.
These three were all of the Nobility; their statuses were sensitive.
Killing them outright was not the wisest choice.
Capturing and imprisoning them might have greater strategic value.
Duane’s words were like a needle piercing Garrot’s heart.
He knew that tonight’s operation was a complete failure. This was the end for all of them.
’It’s only been a few months since my promotion to Knight, and my very first independent mission has turned into this.’
For a moment, boundless disappointment and rage made him lose his reason.
He kicked Kaelon away, then gripped his sword with both hands. The Fighting Qi inside him surged toward the blade like a bursting dam.
The surging Extraordinary Power gathered and compressed, forming the phantom of a giant longsword.
"I’ll kill you!"
Garrot roared madly, leaped into the air, and brought his longsword down with terrifying force.
"Sir, look out!"
Simone and the other two rushed toward Duane, each using their own techniques to counter the attack.
BOOM!
The giant sword phantom rushed forward like an untethered wild horse. The attack had yet to arrive, but its overwhelming presence was already felt.
The immense pressure struck fear into Duane’s heart. He raised his Shield and used Shield of Defense.
In their haste, Raymond and the other two all used Fighting Qi Slash.
Three beams of light shot upward to meet the giant sword phantom.
A sudden clap of thunder exploded, the deafening roar shaking the very ground. All the inhabitants of Black Forest Island were jolted awake in terror.
As the shockwave spread, the sword phantom shattered the three Fighting Qi Slashes and continued toward Duane with its remaining power.
Duane gritted his teeth and raised his Shield to meet the blow.
BOOM!
He felt a sharp pain in his arms. The immense pressure forced his knees to buckle, and the Shield was pressed almost to his face.
Fortunately, his Mastery Level Shield of Defense barely managed to block the attack’s aftershock.
However, Garrot’s attack wasn’t over.
He had leaped to attack, and as the Combat Technique ended, his body fell from the sky, slashing down toward Duane’s position.
At that moment, Kaelon leaped up with incredible speed.
Using his body like a cannonball, he slammed into Garrot from the side, sending him crashing heavily to the ground.
Kaelon stumbled as he landed, rolled, and quickly got to his feet. "Sir, are you alright?"
Duane pulled his feet out of the ground they had been driven into. "I’m fine. Capture him first."
It was unclear whether Garrot was too seriously injured, had exhausted his strength with that last move, or simply knew he couldn’t win, but he lay on the ground without getting up immediately.
Kaelon, along with Simone and the other two, surrounded him and easily restrained him.
And with that, the night raid came to a definitive end.
Duane surveyed his surroundings.
Beneath the moonlight, the courtyard walls had long since been demolished by the aftershocks of the battle between the two Earth Tier Warriors.
The houses and facilities within the courtyard had also been smashed through and knocked down during the initial volley of stones and the subsequent fighting.
The place he had lived in for months was now a complete wreck.
"John, get a count of the prisoners."
Duane ordered, then walked up to Garrot.
"I have to wonder what goes on in that head of yours, to even think of launching a night raid on me."
Garrot snorted coldly and didn’t answer, instead staring at Duane with a look of resentment.
"What I can’t figure out is, how did you know about my plan in advance?"
He considered his plan to have been perfect. The probability of taking Duane’s head was extremely high; he had never even considered failure.
’A traitor?’
’Everyone fought their hardest in this battle. There couldn’t be a traitor.’
’Does the Baron have a Mage from the Prophetic Element?’
’That’s even more impossible.’
’I’ve only heard of prophetic magic, never seen it.’
Duane chuckled. "I guessed. Would you believe me?"
Kneeling on the ground, Garrot subconsciously tried to move his shoulders but was forcefully held down by Raymond and Gaius.
"All I can say is, you got lucky!"
He raised his head, his gaze fierce. "Now, kill me!"
Duane gave him a thumbs-up. "You’re a tough one, alright. But don’t worry, I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to lock you up."
He glanced at Kaelon. After the great battle, Kaelon could no longer endure the pain of his injuries and was now sitting to one side, resting.
For someone who had just entered the Earth Tier, it was already incredibly impressive that he had held on for so long.
"Simone, cripple his legs. We can’t have him running off. Then bind him in iron chains."
That was how they had controlled Bard.
Although this type of leg injury was severe, with Magic Potions and the powerful constitution of an Earth Tier Warrior, he could recover in about half a year.
"Yes, Sir!"
Simone did as he was told. Garrot, for his part, didn’t even make a sound, aside from breaking out in a cold sweat. He really was a tough nut to crack.
"Secure the others as well."
Duane said, looking at Selena, "Bring this Female Mage to my study..."
As he said this, he couldn’t help but look toward his study.
His study had been smashed to pieces.
"Never mind. Take her over there. I’m going to interrogate her!"